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8 week old and losing my mind w. breast feeding

Daughter will be 8 weeks tomorrow and yesterday it was bad for me. She has been eating constantly since birth and I am hoping she stops doing clustering feeding every hour of the day, but last night was different. She started at 5:30pm and ate with maybe 15 minute breaks until she fell asleep at 10:30pm. I started putting her to sleep at 7:30pm so for three hours I was working on getting her to sleep. I breastfeed in my bed and she falls asleep that way every night.That is our routine. But last night she kept wanting the breast so I give it to her and she hung onto the nipple and would start thrashing like a beach whale. She was complaining and thrashing. I didn't get why she was doing this. My breast is fairly empty I as we have been nursing for a few hours, so I switched breasts and it continued. She wound cry for a few seconds here adn there but mostly complained.

4:30am and she wakes and it continues until now as I plopped her in her swing and she fell asleep.

These are the times I want to quit. She hasn't had formula but I have some in the house. I know I will feel so guilty if I give it to her but last night was horrible. When will she feed every few hours?

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. breast feeding

Sorry you had such a rough night, mama! They happen, particularly with such a young baby. There isn't always a reason, and formula doesn't necessarily fix the problem. My friend who formula-fed her baby had just as many sleepless nights as I did with my breastfed baby.

What would happen if you just let your LO sleep in the swing?

If this nighttime craziness continues, I suggest taking your baby in to the pediatrician. Sometimes an ear infection is the culprit.

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. breast feeding

I'm sorry you had a rough night. While I don't know the cause I will say that it sounds totally normal. Which I know you don't want to hear. It could be a growth spurt and your body needs to adjust. Her belly could have been bothering her. She could have wanted to be held and rocked, not laying down. It's hard to say. See if it continues and if you can pinpoint a pattern. If not, write it off as one of the many bad nights you will have in motherhood.

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. breast feeding

Sorry you had a bad night. I feel you when it comes to the formula. I have some in the house that was given to me in the hospital (I think they want you to cave in) and when I have bad nights I really really have to keep reminding me why I am breastfeeding in the first place. :-( My DS also does the thrashing around but only when we lay on our sides. He seems to do better when we are sitting up. I actually think that when we lay down to nurse...we both fall asleep to soon and he doesnt finish his meal before falling asleep and then 20min later realizes he is still hungry and will want back on.
I hope you have a better evening today :-)

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. bre

all of us have our bfing challenges! I hope you find out more from the doc on LO's ear. Usually the fever pitch of fussiness ends within a couple days, it does sound like a classic growth spurt. I kept on telling myself that night nursing was melting off the baby weight overnight while lying on my side, which sure beat the heck out of figuring out how to do an exercise DVD during the day wihtout stopping every few minutes for baby, never mind having the energy to do one.

Katharine Be the change you want to see in the world--Mahatma Gandhi mid-August DD (2010) & DS (2011 VBAC)
Ouch! Is it thrush or Raynaud's phenomenon?

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. bre

Last night at her normal bedtime, she was thrashing so much at my breast, a lot toward the end, after 1 hour of nursing, she kept wanting to go back on the breast, that I took some breast milk and put it in the bottle (my reserve) and hubbie gave it to her and she passed out immediately after finishing once ounce. I think this thrashing is wanting more food. Maybe she is going thru a growth spurt at 8 weeks like u said BXK girl. Yes, I keep saying weightloss to myself as well as healthier. My DH keeps saying JUST ONE formula and I keep saying LEAVE ME ALONE. lol

Re: 8 week old and losing my mind w. bre

My son is 9 weeks, and we've had this trouble too. What I've discovered is that it's generally because he has a "bubble" in his tummy but he still wants to suck. So, I give him a pacifier. It's not interfering with his ability to breastfeed, and it gives him the sucking he needs.

Have you tried a pacifier at all in those moments? Or is that something you don't wish to do? (I know some people are against the pacifier.) He wouldn't take one until around 6 or 7 weeks, and now we ONLY use it to help him settle at bed time. Just a thought!

Good luck, though. My back is killing me from walking around to heft my very very big boy! (almost 16 pounds!!)